By Karsten Ramser in New Society — 14 Apr 2025

The Dissolution of Borders and National Identities

The dissolution of borders is not a loss of identity. It is the beginning of a deeper belonging — not to a flag or a tribe, but to life itself.

Flower-of-Life-91circles36arcs by Patrick87

Identity Beyond Borders

In an integral society, the boundaries that once defined nations, races, and cultural affiliations lose their capacity to divide. These borders are recognized not as inherent truths, but as historical constructs — temporary responses to fear, resource competition, and the need for control. With the maturing of human consciousness, identity begins to transcend the arbitrary frameworks of geography and bloodline. The long history of identification with nations and borders is not only a narrative of order and belonging but also one of immeasurable suffering, displacement, and death. Wars, genocides, and systemic oppression have repeatedly been justified in the name of protecting national identity or defending territorial boundaries — a legacy that continues to echo in our present.

The Role of Nations in Early Consciousness

Historically, nations emerged as necessary frameworks within the evolution of lower levels of consciousness. They provided a sense of belonging, structure, and security at a time when human identity was still bound to tribal thinking, territorial defense, and rigid group boundaries. On these earlier levels, the nation served as an organizing principle for survival and coordination.

But this identification also carried a shadow: as soon as boundaries were drawn, the fear of the 'other' took root. The history of nationalism is drenched in blood, displacement, and trauma. The defense of borders and the glorification of flags have justified wars that claimed the lives of millions. Generations of children were raised to see others as threats, to inherit stories of hatred, and to march into battle in the name of abstract identities.

One could compare it to children playing in a sandbox. Each group builds its castle, fiercely guarding it with sticks and stones. At first, it's innocent — part of learning boundaries. But imagine if the children were never allowed to grow up, never taught to share the space or see the larger picture. The sandbox becomes a battlefield. The castles become fortresses. And what began as play turns into generations of conflict.

This is the tragic state of human civilization trapped in the lower levels of consciousness — mistaking the sandbox for the whole world.

The Manipulation of National Identity

However, as consciousness matured, the limitations of national identity became more apparent. What once unified began to divide. The concept of the nation has increasingly been instrumentalized by the powerful — political, economic, and ideological elites — to control populations, justify conflict, and perpetuate systems of division. 'Divide and rule' became not only a strategy of empire but a fundamental mechanism of modern governance, keeping people entangled in artificial oppositions while deeper structures of power remained untouched.

With the recent failings and disillusionment surrounding globalism — its inability to equitably serve the planet or its people — there has been a resurgence of nationalism around the world. Many societies, unable to integrate a planetary identity, are retreating into older, more familiar structures. This regression is not surprising. The vast majority of humanity still operates within the immature levels of consciousness, where fear, group identity, and territorial thinking dominate. Nationalism offers a sense of control and simplicity in an increasingly complex and uncertain world, even if it means repeating the cycles of division and conflict that history has already shown to be destructive. As the Spanish saying goes, "Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer" — better the bad you know than the good you don’t. This deep-rooted human tendency to prefer familiar suffering over uncertain change reflects the psychological immaturity of a species not yet ready to embrace the unknown. In this context, nationalism resurfaces not because it offers solutions, but because it offers familiarity in the face of planetary uncertainty.

The Illusion of Separation

As Jiddu Krishnamurti ^[1] wrote in Freedom from the Known, "When you call yourself an Indian or a Muslim or a Christian or a European, or anything else, you are being violent. [...] Because you are separating yourself from the rest of mankind."^[2] This observation strikes at the root of the human tendency to construct identity through separation. National identity — however noble it may appear — feeds the illusion of division and creates psychological walls between people. We define ourselves by difference, by opposition, by what we are not. And in doing so, we become trapped in a perpetual state of comparison and conflict.

So long as our identity depends on contrast, rather than connection, true peace remains unattainable.

Dehumanization Before Conflict

Before every violent conflict or war, there is a silent psychological preparation: the dehumanization of the other. This mechanism turns individuals, communities, and entire populations into abstractions — labels, threats, or enemies — stripping them of their individuality, emotions, and dignity. Once the 'other' is no longer seen as fully human, violence becomes not only thinkable but justifiable. History repeatedly shows this progression: from naming and stereotyping, to exclusion, to demonization, and finally, to destruction. It is within this psychological climate that nationalism, religious extremism, and ideological fervor thrive — all grounded in the illusion that we are fundamentally separate.

From Fragmentation to Wholeness

Humanity is no longer perceived as a fragmented puzzle of conflicting nations, but as a singular organism — a global family — expressing itself through countless cultural lenses.

This vision does not negate difference; it honors it as an expression of the same underlying wholeness. The need to defend one's group against the 'other' gives way to a recognition that all groups are threads in the same evolutionary tapestry.

Such a transformation in perception carries immense healing potential, especially when viewed in contrast to the destructive legacy of "us versus them" thinking. The recognition of underlying unity allows for a radical redefinition of human identity — not as something to defend, but as something to open. In this new context, the 'other' is no longer a threat, but a reflection.

True peace arises not from diplomacy or political compromise alone, but from a felt experience of shared being. Perceiving others not as categories, but as living expressions of the same essence, dissolves the impulse toward violence. Wholeness is not a utopian ideal; it is the natural state that emerges when the illusion of separation falls away.

It does not ask us to erase difference but to embrace it from a place of deeper connection. It is the realization that the boundary between self and other was always provisional, a misunderstanding born from fear. When wholeness is remembered — individually and collectively — conflict loses its foundation.

We no longer need an enemy to define ourselves. We become complete in the simple awareness that we were never truly divided.

It marks a civilizational turning point: a conscious departure from the story of separation. Maps no longer define who we are. The myths of superiority, ownership, and exclusion dissolve, replaced by narratives of shared origin, mutual care, and interdependence. Identity expands — not by abandoning cultural uniqueness, but by situating it within a larger, planetary context.

Borders as Spaces of Exchange

In the transition toward an integral society, borders no longer serve as static lines of exclusion, but begin to dissolve into porous membranes of cultural dialogue. While the concept of borders may persist for a time, their function transforms: they cease to be instruments of division and become thresholds of encounter, zones where cultures meet, interact, and co-create. This transitional phase reflects the broader shift in human consciousness — from rigidity to flow, from defense to openness. They no longer divide, but connect. Languages, traditions, and worldviews flow across them, not to dominate, but to enrich. Diversity is no longer a threat to order; it is the raw material of planetary harmony.

Planetary Governance Beyond the Nation-State

Governance, in this new paradigm, transcends the outdated model of the nation-state. Political structures evolve into planetary coordination systems guided by the well-being of the entire biosphere. Central to this model is the principle of Nondual Leadership — a form of guidance rooted not in ego or ideology, but in deep presence, ethical clarity, and the ability to perceive from a place beyond personal or collective identity. Leadership becomes less about control and more about coherence, holding space for the emergence of wisdom through dialogue and insight.

Artificial Intelligence supports this shift not through domination or surveillance, but through transparent, decentralized administration. AI becomes a tool of service — coordinating logistics, ensuring accountability, and maintaining real-time ecological and social balance across the globe. It helps translate complex data into actionable clarity, always subordinated to ethical frameworks established by wise human oversight.

At the local level, self-organizing communities remain vital. Regional cultures, bioregions, and local assemblies operate autonomously, but always in resonance with the planetary context. Decision-making is nested and transparent, balancing the unique needs of each place with the integrity of the whole.

Decisions are made not in pursuit of national advantage, but in alignment with planetary ethics and systemic coherence. Ecological sustainability, social equity, and intergenerational responsibility form the foundations of policy — not economic growth or military leverage.

A Deeper Belonging

National identities are not erased, but integrated into a wider, more conscious identity: that of being Earth-based beings participating in the evolution of life. This marks the emergence of a truly global family — not in the sense of homogenization, but as a living unity in diversity. Cultural roots are honored without becoming cages. Pride in one’s heritage transforms into appreciation for the broader human journey, as each tradition finds its place within a shared planetary home.